Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Paul's March Bonus 2021 Fly of the Month

 Commisa's Sneak Attack


Hook:  Hanak H 450 BL Size #16 (or jig hook of choice).

Bead:  Matte Black Tungsten slotted 3.0 mm.

Tying thread:   Black, Semperfli 12/0 waxed.

Tail:  Coq de Leon, medium pardo.

Body:  Black Krystal Flash.

UV Resin:  To coat body.  Solarez Bone Dry (or resin of choice).

Thorax/Collar:  Red Sybai Fine Diamond Dubbing. (This is a metallic ‘Ice Dubbing’ like material.)

Tim Commisa provides us fly fishers with some of the best & most informative fly tying videos out there.  His website http://www.troutandfeather.com/ is a fantastic resource for tyers & fly fishers.  So, when he tells you that he’s somewhat reluctant to post his ‘secret fly’, I’m going to listen.  This fly has caught me quite a few fish this summer.

To tie this fly begin by placing your tungsten bead on the hook.  Place the hook in your vice and start your thread behind the bead.  Build up a little thread ‘dam’ behind the bead to ensure the bead doesn’t move.  Next, you are going to tie in your Coq de Leon tail.  Take 4-5 feather fibers and tie in your tail.  It should be approximately the length of the hook shank long.  After securely wrapping the tail fibers on top of the hook shank, clip off the butt ends of the fibers.  You are now going to tie in your Black Krystal Flash body material.  You will need 4 strands of the material.  You can also ‘double over’ 2 strands of material by folding them over your hanging thread and anchoring them at the front of the fly.  You can then wrap them over them on top of your hook working back towards the back of the fly.   Bring your thread back behind the bead.  Using a controlled tension, wrap your 4 strands of Krystal Flash forward.  Tie if off behind the bead and clip off the tag ends.  Next, take your Solarez Bone Dry or resin of choice, and coat the body with the resin.  Cure the resin with a UV light.  You are now going to dub your Thorax/Collar behind the bead.  It does not take much material to create the Thorax/Collar, especially with a size #16 fly.  Take a couple wraps with your dubbing noodle.  Create a very tight collar.  Clip any excess straying dubbing material.  Take a few wraps of your thread behind the bead.  Whip finish it there and apply head cement if you desire. 

One of the great things about fly tying is you can experiment to meet the needs of your local stream, or to just experiment for the fun of it.  With this pattern I’ve used different colored Krystal Flash and collars depending upon what’s happening on the water. 

Tim Cammissa has a great instructional video on how to tie this fly below:


If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of the Month I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or at pdinice@frontier.com .  



Monday, March 1, 2021

Paul's March 2021 Fly of the Month

Jigawocki 

(UV Hot Spot Jig Nymph)



Hook:  Daiichi 4640 Size #14 Jig Hook (or jig hook of choice).

Bead:  Black Tungsten Slotted bead 7/64” 2.8mm.

Tying Thread:   Veevus Brown 14/0 thread.

Tail:  Mottled Brown Hen Saddle Fibers.

Rib:  Copper Brown Ultra Wire Small.

Body:  Veevus Hot Orange Body Quill, coated with UV Resin.

Thorax/Collar:  Mixture of Hare’s Ear and Black & Brown Ice Dub.

Legs:  Mottled Brown Hen Saddle Fibers tied in at the 3 o’clock & 9 o’clock positions.

Wing Case/Hot Spot:  Clear UV Finish topped by Orange or Red, or Yellow UV Finish.  (You also have the alternative of creating a hot spot behind the bead with thread.)

This is a great little nymph that works very well, particularly during those days prior to a Sulphur Hatch.  The use of a 14/0 Thread makes for a thinner body, allowing the nymph to sink deeper faster.  Please note that tying on a Jig Hook results in a smaller nymph.  It would equate to a Size #16 on a standard hook.  Proportion is everything with this fly.  Also, take your time applying your UV Hot Spot.  Not an easy task when your applying it between legs and onto dubbing fibers.

To begin this fly, place your tungsten bead on the hook, then your hook in the vice.  Start your thread behind the bead and wrap back to the bend of the hook.  You are now going to tie in your tail of Mottled Brown Hen Saddle Fibers.  Take 6-7 fibers and tie them in at the bend of the hook shank.  They should be approximately 2/3rds the length of the hook shank.  Instead of cutting off the butt ends of the fibers, wrap your thread back up the shank towards the bead.  You should end your thread behind the bead, forming an even body.  Next, take a strand of the Veevus Body Quill.  Double it over your thread and secure it to the hook.  Now tie in your Copper Rib.  Wrap both materials down to your hook bend.  Again, making sure to form an even slim body.  Bring your thread back up behind the eye.

You are now going to make ‘touching’ wraps with your body quill up the hook shank.  Tie it off slightly behind the bead.  Cut off the butt ends.  Now, rib the fly with your copper wire, again tying it off slightly behind the hook eye.  Tie it off and ‘helicopter’ off the butt end of the rib.  Coat and cure the body of the fly with UV Resin.  This gives a very translucent effect to the body.  You are now going to ‘dub’ your Thorax/Collar with a mixture of Hare’s Ear & Ice Dub.  Create a slim Thorax/Collar leaving a little room behind the bead.  It’s right behind the bead that you’re going to affix your legs of Hen fibers.  Tie your legs in at the 3:00 & 9:00 positions (5-6 fibers per side).  Dub a little more material behind the bead to finish your Thorax/Collar.  Tie and whip finish it off.  You are now going to create your Wing Case/Hot Spot with two applications of UV Resin.  First, apply a clear coat of UV Resin behind the bead.  This will create a base for your colored UV finish.  After you apply and cure your clear finish, apply your ‘hot spot’ UV finish.  You can use red, orange, or yellow.  Cure it and your done.  If you don’t have any or don’t want to use UV Finish, simply create a hot spot with thread behind the bead.

Loon Outdoors has a great video on how to tie this fly below:

                                                                   

Loon Outdoors website can be found at https://loonoutdoors.com/ .

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of the Month I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or at pdinice@frontier.com .